Bunny Hewitt rolls back hands of time with antique collection

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

BUNNY HEWITT is a man who is on top of the world collecting antique items, many of which have been passed down through generations in his family.

Hewitt, who was in attendance at the recently staged Taste Of Manchester event at Brooks Park, Mandeville, beamed as he told the story behind the respective items that he had on display.

His collection was a big point of interest at the event, especially for the elderly, who reminisced as they examined items that Hewitt had on show.

The Bunny Hewitt Collection, as it is called, includes a 'Dulcimina' suitcase, coal irons dating way back, a cooking pot, an ancient meat and, coffee grinder, and a Phillips Telefunken radio.

There was also a hand sewing machine, which he said belonged to his mother, who passed away in 1963 when he was 10 years old. Hewitt, with a broad smile, boasted that he has the original keys for the sewing machine.

Being a musician, a percussionist to be exact, Hewitt has a collection of drums which he himself made. He said one of the drums, which was unfinished, was made from the wood of a coconut tree.

"The wood is from a tree which I planted in my yard. Lightning struck it and the tree died, so I made a drum from it," Hewitt explained.

Nostalgia

Another item that drew interest was a mortar and stick. Sight of the mortar brought smiles to the faces of the elderly as they recalled their experiences with those items back in the day. There was also an old toilet floater, which Hewitt said was made from brass. There was also a goblet and a basin, which he said belonged to one of his great cousins.

In explaining how he became interested in starting his collection, Hewitt said: "I went to England in 1991 and visited some castles there. I saw where they had some very old things on display. So I said to myself, 'Look how I have to pay to see their collections and my family has things just lying down there'. So I came back home and started making my own collection."

He added: "Things like these are what we have to cherish. It is a part of our culture and heritage."

Bunny was born in Trelawny, but moved to Mandeville when he was five days old. "I grew up in the Hatfield area." He started his stamp collection, which he disclosed was one of his most prized possessions, when he was eight years old. "I used to cut them out and put them in an exercise book, and I still have them to this day," Hewitt said.

"I have a collection of money, which I got when I went to England. I have from trupence, penny, shilling with the lion on it, six pence. I see that we used to use them in Jamaica, so I decided to collect them. "I carry them to bingo parties. Sometimes the MC asks for old money."

A kettle, which he said was made from cast iron, weighs a "ton". "These things are strong. They are not making them that way again. It's just pure plastic and some weak materials they are making the things nowadays, so they don't last as long."

rural@gleanerjm.com